Thursday, April 10, 2008

11:46 PM

New Media- Power to people, or threat to stability

All of us use the new media today. However, how often does the effects and impact of the new media cross our minds? This phenomenon arises from the fact that new media is so widespread that we tend to take it for granted. In my opinion, the new media equips people with power, and yet, is a threat to stability at the same time, depending on the context it is used in.

For instance, the new media allows people to voice their opinions openly on the internet through the use of blogs and forums. This is the spark that instills boldness in people and encourages them to stand up for what they believe in. These mediums have such a great impact that it gives people a platform to effect a change in issues such as legislation and human rights. Gone are the days where people could only hope for change by writing letters to the government or organizations. Often, their letters are ignored and are kept private. With blogs, people of the same cause can aggregate together to push for their stand. Given that these blogs can be viewed by the public, the relevant authorities are pressured to take action, or face the music. Many a times, it is the platform on which citizens support one another and act together for a political or social change.

You may ask what about mainstream media? The growing trend is that people are starting to break away from mainstream media. This is due to the fact that its views and reports are sometimes skewed and biased, often based on the needs to safeguard the interest of external factors. People are turning to alternatives such as blogs to get their dose of real and unrestrained perspectives. Bloggers are usually individuals that stand for themselves and thus have no ulterior motives they hope to achieve through their articles. To many, this is the basis on which they can make informed choices.

The desire and need for openness is what drives freedom of expression today. In fact, it is freedom of expression in the new media that gives people the power- the power to decide for themselves.

However, the new media is not just a bed of roses. It can be a threat to stability as well. For example, irresponsible and unjustified claims, articles and advertisements on the internet could mislead people. This is seen in the blogosphere whereby people blog on what they feel without thinking about its rationale and consequences of their actions. Their infactual views could sometimes lead people to make the wrong inference. For example, criticizing another religion on blogs could lead to controversies. If serious, it could evolve to riots and killings. Is it worth it to give up lives in the name of new media? Definitely not.

The new media is also very vulnerable to abuse. Terrorist groups have been known to exploit the new media for purposes like fundraising, radicalization, recruitment, and the planning and preparing for terrorists attacks. The new media allows them to break away from traditional methods which are increasingly unstable. The new media is like the sustenance of the terrorists, giving them a medium to further their movement. People can also use it for their personal or organization’s interest. The new media aids in the spread of propaganda which plays on the fragility of the human minds. People may not realize, but their mentalities are being swayed every time they choose to simply believe in what they see on the internet without going through critical analysis. This may lead to ill-informed choices which threaten stability as people tend to flock as a herd, often in the wrong direction.

Not only does it promote propaganda, it also inculcates radicalism. This is one of the most aggravating factors because detection of radicalism is difficult. It is only when people take actions, for example through terrorist attacks, can these people be identified. By then, it might be too late to reverse the negative impact it has on our world. It also allows messages to be targeted at a certain audience, making the impact of negative movements more alarming. For instance, youths are sought out by the jihads through the use of flashy, well-designed websites and visually arresting graphic content. This certainly is a call for concern since the youths today has such a huge influence on the people around them. Even delegates in the US presidential election are swayed by views of their children!

As such, I feel that the new media gives power to people, yet threatens stability at the same time. People need to learn how to exercise their new found power cautiously, or they may soon find themselves being the lackeys of groups and organizations that aim to destabilize the country, without even knowing that they are a part of it. In the new media, discernment is a must.

Melissa

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